Paper Title
Validation Of Simple View Of Reading (SVR) In Arabic

Abstract
Introduction: Reading is a complex cognitive activity that requires a host of sensory, perceptual, and linguistic abilities, and it takes time to fully master (Adlof, Hogan, & Catts, 2005).One of the influential reading models is the Simple View of Reading (SVR).According to this model, reading comprehension (RC) is the product of decoding (D) and language/listening comprehension (LC), RC = D × LC (Gough &Tumner, 1986). The aim of the current study is to test the validity of SVR in Arabic byexamining the factors related to reading comprehension among two groups of Arabic-English children. Method: The sample included80 children, 40 Arabic-English bilingual children from Saudi Arabia and 40 Arabic-English bilinguals from Canada with age range from 8-10 years old. Measures of the subcomponents of decoding in Arabic (i.e., vowelized word reading and phonological awareness) and subcomponents of listening comprehension (LC) in Arabic (i.e., vocabulary and morphological awareness) were examined in relation to Arabic reading comprehension. Result: Multiple regression analyses showed that there were group differences in terms of the variables related to Arabic reading comprehension. In the Saudi group, results showed that vowelized word reading, subcomponents of decoding, was the only predictor of Arabic RC (β = .503, t = 2.41, p < .05) and morphological awareness, subcomponents of LC, was significantly related to RC (β = .556, t = 4.17, p < .001). In the Canadian group, results showed that vocabulary was the only significant predictor ofArabic RC (β = .565, t = 4.27, p < .001) whereas morphological awareness was barely approached significance (β = .258, t = 1.95, p =.058). Conclusion: In general, it seems that SVR is applicable to the Arabic language. Particularly, it appears that morphological awareness plays an important role of identifying the meanings of unfamiliar words in the text due to the nature of Arabic orthography. Implication: Understanding the formula of SVR can help educators and teachers with assessing reading weaknesses and providing appropriate instruction. Keywords - Reading comprehension, Decoding, Listening comprehension, Morphological awareness